From Zero back to Hero! Amazing!

Wow! What an amazing day I had. Got to work. First thing, the computer I couldn't get to print yesterday was in worse condition somehow. The boss was trying to do stuff, and it just wouldn't run! It had completely frozen. I took this oportunity to quickly add static IP addresses on all the PC's (as per yesterdays post Hero to Zero, I couldn't get it to see the PC with the printer attached.) Giving them their own Static IP addresses solved the problem! In theory it shouldn't have. I had it previously set to allow them to get their own IP addresses, but a funny thought occurred to me last night, and I decided to test the theory this morning. Thank goodness! Now it could print, and all the PC's coud see each other and share their resources! Second problem (which had me baffled all day). Why was it running so slow? Even after re-boots continued to be slow. I didn't get to tackle it straight off. I had other admin things which needed to be done. I kept explaining to the boss, I'm not a PC support person. I don't think I can solve this one. He assured me I could (darn ... he was right, and I was wrong! I could solve it!) Well, there wasn't time to look at it. I'd cleared the viruses off it the day before. I'd removed the adware stuff. It was running okay yesterday (except it couldn't see the other PC & printer). WHY? WHY? WHY? was it suddenly running slow after the boss used it this morning? Lunch time came around. The boss and I had made a deal to bring our guitars in and jam in one of the back rooms. So, we went the long way round to the back gym, as a school was using the lesser hall for air rifle. (And we didn't want to be shot). We sat in the back room and jammed a little. I showed him some of my classical guitar (on a steel string no less). He could play virtually ANYTHING, provided it was pre-1975. He was pretty good (which is why he still plays in a working band at present). Afterwards, he said, "I wish I could play like you!" HUH? I didn't think I was doing that good in the jam. Okay, it wasn't the greatest jam on earth, just half an hours worth. We spoke a little about our musician pasts etc. Anyway, something I've been praying about was confirmed. I've been praying recently about where the frig my life is heading. I have so many choices and I really have NO IDEA what to do with my life. Pray, pray, pray, pray! I was forever getting the feeling that God was telling me that it didn't matter what I decide to do, I will be successful at it. On Wednesday, I asked God to confirm it in someway this week. Some sort of sign to tell me WHAT I NEED TO DO! WHICH PATH TO FOLLOW! The boss turned around to me (this was pre-lunch), and he said, "You know David, it doesn't really matter what you do. You'll be a success at anything!" He then followed it up with a bit of sermon and verses to back up why he believed it! Okay, to the non-religious amongst you, it might seem like a co-incidence. I'm like thinking and praying about something and really only blogging about it here! I haven't discussed it with anyone. No one in Aussie, other than a few close friends, know about my blog. So even my mother and youngest brother don't know the anguish I've been going through. Somehow, I got this confirmation off my boss. Let's face it. Most people think I know exactly where I am heading most of the time. They confuse the fact that I am highly knowledgable, with the fact that I should have an idea what I am doing on this planet. They think, he's smart, he must know where he is going in life! Nope! I have no idea! Somedays, I change my mind from I wanted to do yesterday to what I want to do today! Today, I was even considering becoming a Doctor ... I have no idea why! I hate blood and guts and stuff. I'm probably the first to faint (unless it's my own blood. That I can live with. It's other people's blood, or their pain. Argh! I feel other people's pain! Stop hurting yourselves! Stop hurting other people!) Anyway, Monday I'm off to discuss starting my own business, and then trying to do the Macro Option thing I discussed in previous posts! If you can't decide on one thing to do, do them all! Well, I had plenty to do in the afternoon. One hour before I was due to leave, I ran out of things to do! Woo hoo! Time to tackle this new PC problem. Why was it running so slow? The first thing I asked myself was this, "If this was a Linux/Unix box, what would you do?" "Easy," I replied, "Check what processes are running." So, I checked the processes, and 98% of the CPU was being used by the spooler! HUH? What The Frig (wtf) is the spooler doing that it needs 98% of the CPU? I checked, and then I spoted it! There were some old Printers Configured to run off the computer (before we got the new laser printer a few months ago). Someone had been trying to print to an old HP printer which was no longer attached to the computer!!!!!! It had nine jobs queued in one spot, and two in another and one in another. None of them were to anything attached to the network. The computer was TRYING TO PRINT and couldn't!!!! [Which reminds me, I better remove those configs next Thursday. Sloppy of me not to think of that today!] Well, I cleared all the print jobs, and low and behold, the computer returned to having 97% idle processes!!! The thing ran like a gem! The boss walked back in, and said, 'Have you got that working yet?' 'YEP!' I explained it to him. He said, "I knew you could do it!" He was right! I was wrong! I could. I am the bizaro little red engine ... I thought I couldn't ... but I could!!! WOW! What a way to end the afternoon! A complete success. He said (something like this) to me, "David, you are one of the most amazing people I've ever met. Even when you don't have a clue what you are doing, you seem to get the right results." You know something ... maybe I'm just blessed, maybe I'm just lucky. Maybe it's just good karma, or maybe it's just that God is on my side (that's God, the guy in heaven ... not Terence, who is nicknamed God ... hmmm, maybe I am Terence's son, my nickname used to be Jesus at one point!), now that I think about it, that's the same as being blessed isn't it! :-) What a way to start the weekend! :-) Anyway, I hope anyone reading this story can take something away with them. Sometimes, even if you aren't sure, it's sometimes best to just give it your best shot, and you might just hit a bullseye. Even though you never thought you could. (Or in Aussie Slanguage, "Give it a go ya mug!") :-) ***BIG HUGS*** Thought I'd add that for anyone who might have needed it. :-)